A recent survey sponsored by SAP, a German software corporation, found that almost half of its responding Indonesian digital consumers are satisfied with their current digital experience. According to estimates of an Indonesian internet provider association there are more than 100 million registered internet users, 72,3 million social network users and 338,4 million mobile subscribers in Indonesia. For Indonesia’s growing number of digital consumers digital business is the new norm in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

The SAP’s Digital Experience Report for Indonesia questioned a total of 500 respondents (250 female and 250 male) across the country. The digital consumers were asked to rate how satisfied they are with their digital experience. Aggregating more than 1.300 digital engagements with local brands the study used 14 key variables including aspects such as safety, simplicity and availability of applications to evaluate the consumer’s experience. The Report also found that satisfied digital consumers would be nine times more likely to stay with a brand and 68 percent more likely to recommend it to others indicating that positive experiences foster their brand affinity.

Companies such as Grab and Gojek, which offer everything from food delivery to transport services, are just some examples for successful e-businesses in Southeast Asia’s bigget economy. Bank Central Asia (BCA), the country’s biggest private lender by assets, launched a mobile payment application called Sakulu (meaning “my pocket”) in November 2015. The app allows the transfer of money from one phone to another and saw 92.000 users in less than a year.

Despite the growing potential for digital business in Indonesia recent news reports suggest that many local companies are still hesitant to move from analog to digital, often due to costs and challenging technical aspects. According to SAP Indonesia’s vice president and managing director, Megawaty Khie, companies need to know that going digital is no longer a choice but the only way to stay in business. Therefore experts and industry players expect Indonesia’s approximately USD 1,7bn worth e-commerce market to only grow bigger in the near future.